Barca stuffed ...again ?

For second time in four days we watched Barca struggle against a tactically superior Real side. Noticable that Real fielded four midfielders attackers of 6ft plus and they were always a serious threat from crosses and set pieces corners..whereas Barca with their short side were no real threat at all from set pieces and again found them hard to defend against a fast muscular Real side. Once again Tici Taca has let them down, though to be fair think they should defo have been awarded a pen in last minute. Overall though have to admit Real once again good value for their win no question whatsoever that most neutrals Im sure would agree. Brendan Rogers ...is it time to mix up our playbook and think of bringing in one or two players in this transfer window a little taller than 5ft 8inch and 10 stone weight ?

Loki...Paddy seems to understand what Im getting at here...I think u see me as an "enemy" of the Rogers can do no wrong Camp and thus exhibit a prejuidice against anything I put up on here for fear of if u side with me on any given point u could be seen by others on the board in the Rogers can do no wrong Camp of being in some way anti-Rogers u self. You seem to feel Im unhappy with yesterdays result at Wigan just because I stated statistically they had the better of it yesterday...Im on record onthe board yesterday as being delighted with our display and great 4.0 win and great to see Pepe back in form again. A little humour is called for where my statement about prefering two 10.0 wins over UniTURD to a League Title is concerned ....phrase "tongue in cheek" comes to mind.
Although TWO 10.0 wins over UniTURD in a season...its a very difficult choice to have to make.

I'd like to state state clearly why I support Rodgers at this poitn and why I am almost a complete opposite to my English spelt namesake and colleague above.

Firstly despite the odd fumble in the press and the variation in results and performances I which I find as frustrating as anyone I am trying to look deeper into the changes that are being made at the club.

To me there's almost an ignorance about the state of the club not so long ago. It was masked by cup wins and various other bist and bobs but not only was the club on the rocks financially the playing side was also in complete disarray. I don't think that we can thanks FSG enough for pulling us out of the financial mire.

The playing side is down to Rodgers and while things may not have gone brilliantly this season so far I think the last 2 seasons have been on the cards for some time. Rodgers is pullingthe club together from top to bottom. That can only be a good thing where every player understands the tactics and style of play we will use. Secondly we're trying to play an attractive form of football. again that's good as the club was renowned for it and that brings support on its own.

It's far from perfect but I think we've chosen the right path. Whether I (and FSG) are right or not remains to be seen but I honestly believe that the club needed a complete overhaul. And I mean everything down to the tea lady. That's happening and I think it's a good thing. The last time this happened it worked out quite well.

Personally I'd take any win over United. Ultimately I'd love to see us on the top of the PL pile at the end of a season and that to happen while Ole Red Nose is still managing "Them".

I think your second para may have missed Colin's point. He was saying that possession stats/chances don't mean anything if you're not scoring goals and was using Wigan as an example of that. To be fair to Colin, he's been consistent with that all along.

I'd take the title every time but oh for the choice eh? :-)

I really hope that FSG get the wallet open (again) in the summer for the proven, class players that BR has alluded to. I think it would give him the ability to have a real go at a top 4 finish next season and we could judge him fairly at the end of it.

Colin, you have to take into consideration that Barca haven't got a manager at the moment. Some people may find it easy to say that they are quality players and do not need a manager to inspire them to victories after victories. Tito Vilanova's cancer relapse, since Christmas has most definitely affected the team. At the start to the middle of the season, they were breaking all sorts of records hence the reason why they are 12 points clear. Vilanova's influence is sorely missed. He is their leader and is highly respected by his team so IMO I wouldn't read too much in Barca's recently poor form.

I think this is a very salient point, and one missed by the majority of people on this post. I'm not a big follower of football in Spain, and only look at highlights now and then, but when was the last time anyone saw a Barca player sent off because he's talking back to the ref about a non-call? They have, for years been a very disciplined team, working as one, implementing the system to near perfection. But to me it’s that discipline which has broken down, and it makes me really wonder is it because there is just not the leadership at the moment.

Colin, why do you care so much about Barca? They have few similarities to Liverpool.For example, we play with strikers and they use the so-called 'false number 9' system.

You want us to mix it up like Real but are they not also one-trick ponies? Counter-attack all the way, soak it up and hit on the break just like all Mourinho's teams do? I would hate us to play like that all game. Anyway, wasn't Suarez's third goal a counter-attack? I really do feel you aren't reading the game correctly if you think we don't mix it up.

I seriously don't understand anyone who is unhappy with how things are going at the moment. Just look at the goals for and against in the last 10 games!

You talk about the height of the team. Coutinho set up 2 goals today! Arguably the greatest player in history - Messi - had to have hormone injections just to have a few extra inches. Then there is that giant, Maradona, our own King Kenny is 5'7'' and wasnt Pele just 5'8''? All short @rses.

The only thing that matters is winning, which we are doing consistently now after a few growing pains at the start of the season. I'm sure there will be some more growing pains as well.

What I object to about your post is you are castigating Rodgers about a transfer window that hasnt even happened yet! Who knows what the profile of player he has in mind for the summer?

Ive got to admit, I haven't a clue what you mean so you need to explain it to me because it seems hypocritical to me to sl@g the manager off for copying one team and then recommending that they actually copy another.

Colin has it in for Rodgers. He has his opinion and is off loading with both barrels. I agree Liverpool are no way near Barca. The style of our game is different with the only similarity that really stands out being possession. I think that's a good thing especially if you have European ambitions. One other big thing we do have in common however is that Rodgers and FSG have set up the academies and youth sides to play in the exact same way as the first team. Basically they've set an ethos up that runs right through the whole club. everybody does the same thing, the same way. Whoever thinks that is a bad thing is just simply plainly off their rocker.

Good win yesterday but the stats also make interesting reading. On paper there's a small argument to say that Wigan had the better of the game. They had more possession, more shots, more corners etc. At last however I can say we were more clinical.

I also agree that a false nine is pants. I think, and we do especially need a real focal point to our attack.

As a final point Barca will adapt. That I'm sure of. It wouldn't surprise me to see a striker there next season and the full backs being used to really stretch defenses out wide and get behind them. It's not as if they haven't got the skill levels is it?

Finally I also agree that its still early days in Rodgers tenure. The task he faced was huge, the pace of change may be too much for some to appreciate but in my book the club seriously needed it.

Loki...check my post with my thoughts on the Wigan game nothing negative all optimism I was overjoyed with 4 goals and Louis Suarez what more can anybody say ? Pure genius ! I think we need a couple big lads at the back and a bit of muscle up front to help out Louis and Surridge someone who is proven World Class striker and can hold the ball up a bit for either Sturridge or Louis or both. Thats all just an opinion...plus Im not saying our playbook is an imitation of Barca's not at all but I am saying that, it is clear to a blind man that that is who BR is modeling his style on overall and all Im doing in setting up this thread is pointing out that when Barca come up against quality Tici Taca lets them dowsn ..say what u like about how many they have lost in La Liga whatever they are out of Copa del Ray and were soundly beaten today and willprobably soon be out of ECLC too cos tici Taca is letting them down when they come up against real quality. Im just not a believer in the idea that Tici Taca is the Holy Grail for those that are fine but not for me. Just for the record I was surprised just how ineffective Barca were today had expected more from them.

Funny that just from the title of the thread, it was obvious where this was going..

Since I truly don't look at any other board, I've got to guess that we're probably the only clubs' supporters board, who find more faults rather than positives, with the team/manager, after wins.

This Wigan side around the same time last year, went to Anfield and won 2-1, in a dull, boring, uninspired performance, amongst others (Fulham 0-1, Wba 0-1, Swans 0-1) down the stretch, with our squad that had several players over 5'8, including Kuyt and a 6'4 striker who didn't start. Yet today, we slaughter Wigan, (twice now, 7-0, after dropping 4 pts last yr) fighting for their Prem lives, & could have been a bogey hole like they were to Ud last season at DW, 1-0.

The funniest irony of it all, is that our 1st goal came from a Coutinho cross, to the most unlikely of sources, Downing, to nod home for his 2nd goal of the season, 2 more than he had all of last. So what's to complain about? We actually had less possession until the end, played several long balls from the back, several crosses into the box, & counter attacking football ie- Madrid (who are still 15 pts adrift of Barca, with only 2 trophies under Mourinho to Barca's 1000, in his time there)

We have scored more goals than any other team, including the leaders Utd and holders City, since the turn of the year with 22, and have 53 goals so far, with 10 games to play!!! We should exceed 60, when we only scored 47 last year, while "mixing it up"...

By the way, we won 4-0. Great performance, well done to all the lads, and whoever bought Coutinho, picked the side, and the tactics. YNWA!